1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical card connector, and particularly to an electrical card connector (hereinafter, referred to merely as a "connector") which holds an inserted card and prevents the card surface from being scratched.
A connector of this kind is used for a card such as an IC card. In such a case, the connector is often used especially as a multipolar connector having a number of contact piece members. With this kind of connector, in order to prevent a card which is inserted into a card insertion space of the body of the corner from being accidentally ejected, a measure for holding the card at the insertion position is sometimes taken.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventionally, a connector having the following configuration is known. Contact piece members are incorporated into the body which is made of a synthetic resin having an electrical insulating property. Contacts of the contact piece members are elastically in contact with external contacts of a card which is inserted into a card insertion space formed in the body, thereby attaining the electrical connection.
FIG. 21 is a front view schematically showing a prior art connector of this kind. In the figure, 100 and 101 designate the body and a card insertion port, respectively. A required number of contacts 102 of contact piece members attached to the body 100 can be seen from the outside through the card insertion port 101. In other words, the contacts 102 always protrude into a card insertion space formed in the body 100.
FIG. 22 shows a card C such as an IC card which can be used in the connector of FIG. 21. A required number of external contacts 112 are formed so as to have a predetermined pattern in an external contact forming region 110 on the surface of the card C. The external contacts 112 of the card C are counter parts of the contacts 102 of the connector. When the card C is inserted into the card insertion space through the card insertion port 101, the contacts 102 are elastically in contact with the external contacts 112.
In the connector illustrated in FIG. 21, when the card C of FIG. 22 is inserted into the card insertion space, or when the card C is ejected from the card insertion space, the contacts 102 always rub against the surface of the card C by the elasticity of the contact piece members. As a result, scratches 113 such as shown in FIG. 22 are inevitably formed on the surface of the card C.
A connector in which a measure for preventing scratches from being formed on a card is proposed by, for example, Japanese Utility-model Publication No. 7-33401. A connector described in the publication comprises the body and a slider housed in the body. A mechanism for displacing the slider which is pushed by the tip end of the card in a direction toward contacts of contact piece members disposed inside the body is interposed between the body and the slider. In this connector, when the card is inserted or when the card is ejected, the contacts of the contact piece members are not in contact with the surface of the card, so that scratches are not formed on the surface of the card. In addition, the publication describes a measure for holding the card inserted into the body in position.
The measures for preventing scratches from being formed on the surface of the card, and for holding the card inserted into the body in position which are described in the publication are configured by interposing a member which is other than the slider, between the slider and the body. These measures increase the number of components and also the complexity of the structure. Therefore, these measures impede reduction of the production cost of a connector, etc.